Practical Worship

Having studied the topic of Biblical worship

How God’s word describe worship and worshipers

Lots of theological truths about worship

We want to finish our series with what our practical duties are in worship

This passage of God’s word gives us 3 ways that we can know that our worship is practical not just theoretical

Before looking at the 3 ways lets consider a few fundamental phrases or words

We must first acknowledge that it is only by the “Mercies of God” that we are called to obey/ consider this exhortation

the 3 distinguishing traits of practical worship only apply to those who have a knowledge of the mercies of God

Hence Paul says brothers (those belonging to the family of God)

You must have come to know the deep compassion and sympathy that God bestowed on your sinful soul through His Son Jesus Christ to Justify you and sanctify you before you can attempt to engage in practical worship.

In other words Practical worship is your response to the gospel of Jesus Christ which is the power of God for Salvation 1:16

So Paul is saying here, since God has saved you you should respond to Him in your spiritual service of worship by presenting your body as a sacrifice

Secondly, Biblical sacrifice is not whimsical or arbitrary

You don’t make it up as you go

It is established in the reality of covenant relationship/pact/binding contract/commitment

It is also the means by which God wills to have personal dealings with His people

Love, faithfulness, obedience, and praise are presented in the bible as true forms of sacrifice

In is in light of this I want us to see the Apostle Paul’s exhortation

The Roman Christians are urged to present their bodies as a sacrifice

Not merely their minds nor just their wills (even though they are essential)

God wants the believers to present their bodies

It is only through the body, practically, that we can “serve our generation by the will of God.”

We look, we speak, we hear, we write, we nurse, we travel, by means of these material servants of the will, our living limbs.(our bodies)

therefore, without the surrender of the body we can not surrender the whole self

This is a rather strange request for God to make of His Children

Especially considering the quality/characteristic of the sacrifices He demands of them

Living- He says their sacrifice needs to be living

one that has life in it/ one that is alive

In both ancient Roman religion nor in Judaism bodily sacrifices were never alive . They were always dead

But here the command to the believers is that they would makes their bodies (their whole being) to the praise/obedience/ faithfulness/ and love of God

All of your life (everything you are/ you do must be done out of the desire to love/obey/praise/ be faithful to God

Holy- He also says that their bodies that is being presented as a sacrifice should be holy

that it needs to be fully devoted to God

It needs to be full of moral purity

Needs to be clean and pure

totally dedicated to the covenant relationship

It needs to be set apart from the things that God rejects in this world

Your whole self inside and out (in thought/speech/and deed) Has to reflect this level of holiness

Pleasing(Acceptable)- The believers presenting their bodies as a sacrifice needs to be pleasing

Implication here that there could be (there is) a displeasing (unacceptable) presentation of a sacrifice

Paul is careful to outline this to His readers and by God’s own grace and providence to us today

The presentation of your whole being in praise obedience love and faithfulness needs to be equivalent with something that God Himself would fully agree with

If God doesn’t fully agree with your obedience/praise/ love/ faithfulness then whatever you present is deemed unacceptable

So true practical worship of a christian/ a believer needs to meet the satisfactory standards of God as He sets them forth in His word

Paul is essentially restating the truth that is in Romans 6:13 “and do not go on presenting your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

Because Romans 6:16 “Do you not know that when you go on presenting yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

So instead you must live this new life you have been given by the mercies of God as one belonging to God

Renouncing/ denying yourself and carrying your cross daily and imitating and following the Lord Jesus Christ

Who is the embodiment/ the perfect accomplishment of a LIVING/HOLY/PLEASING sacrifice unto God

If you want to worship God this is what it looks like practically

Live every aspect of your life in holiness and seeking to please Him

You do that by looking less like the world and more like Jesus Christ (v.2)